TechVibe Pittsburgh

Our TechVibe Neighborhood Tour continues a deep-dive nerd out on the revitalization of Downtown Pittsburgh from Huntington Bank's Flagship Branch on Liberty Avenue.

Tune in to hear Huntington Branch Manager Chuck Schons detail the bank's community-focused Huntington Honors program before we welcome Derek Dawson, VP of Strategic Initiatives at Visit Pittsburgh, to update us on the city's tourism and upcoming developments.

There are so many reasons to tune in, including:

1. NFL Draft Excitement: Learn about Pittsburgh hosting the 2026 NFL Draft, which is expected to bring 200,000 people daily and generate $200 million in economic impact.

2. Downtown Revitalization Insights: Hear about major downtown projects like Point State Park renovations, Market Square improvements, and the new Arts Landing that are transforming Pittsburgh's urban landscape.

3. Tourism and Economic Growth: Discover how Pittsburgh's tourism generates $6 billion annually, with new attractions like kayaking at the convention center and expanded airport connections making the city a more appealing destination.

So tune in and get all geeky on Pittsburgh with us!

TechVibe is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore the Pittsburgh region's technology and innovation ecosystem.

Are you ready to discover a hidden gem in Pittsburgh's industrial automation landscape that's hiring 100 new employees and could be your next career home?

If you're a professional seeking a meaningful career with real growth potential, this episode reveals how ECI is revolutionizing industrial automation while offering employees unprecedented ownership and development opportunities. TechVibe welcomes ECI Chief Revenue Officer Loren Sjoquist so you can:

• Learn about cutting-edge industrial automation careers across engineering, sales, and manufacturing

• Understand how an employee-owned company provides unique professional advancement paths

• Explore a company culture that celebrates long-term employee engagement and continuous learning

Hit PLAY now to uncover how ECI could transform your professional journey and potentially become the workplace you've been searching for.

Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, TechVibe explores the Pittsburgh region's technology and innovation ecosystem.

Are you tired of complicated file-sharing services that compromise your data security, require endless account setups, and nickel-and-dime you with subscriptions?

Get ready to meet the game-changing solution that wants to revolutionize how you send sensitive files. In this episode, we dive into Secure-Transmit a breakthrough file transmission service born from a 20-year tech journey that will make you rethink everything you know about sharing data.

Founders Angel Foglia and Joe Fridy detail how Secure-Transmit sends massive files - we're talking up to 100 gigabytes - with military-grade security, zero account creation, and a payment model as flexible as a bar tab. Whether you're a lawyer protecting client documents, an accountant managing tax records, or just someone who values privacy, this solution ups the game for secure file sharing.

Hit play now and discover the future of secure, hassle-free file transmission that puts you back in control.

TechVibe is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore Pittsburgh's growing technology and innovation ecosystem.

Following your instincts is easier said than done in the fast-paced world of growing a tech startup, but for Jen Frazier it's been the only way to live and led her to taking the helm at Prequel Solutions, one of the Pittsburgh region's top tech staffing firms that's redefining talent acquisition.

In this episode the Pittsburgh Technology Council's Jonathan Kersting sits down with Frazier for an insider's look at how one company is transforming the recruitment landscape with innovative strategies and a commitment to excellence. Learn how Frazier learned to trust her instincts chew on these takeaways if you hit PLAY:

1. The Three MFA Process: Prequel has developed a unique candidate authentication method involving three in-person meetings, which helps screen out fake profiles and ensures only genuine, high-quality candidates make it through.

2. Incredible Retention Success: In 2024, Prequel achieved a jaw-dropping 97% retention rate for consultants, proving their strategic approach to matching talent with the right opportunities.

3. Comprehensive Compensation Consulting: Beyond traditional staffing, Prequel offers deep compensation benchmarking services that help companies understand their competitive positioning in the talent market, even when they're not actively hiring.

Frazier's journey from aspiring golfer to tech recruitment leader is a testament to following your instincts and embracing unexpected opportunities. Listen to hear how Prequel is making waves in Pittsburgh's tech ecosystem.

TechVibe Pittsburgh is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore Pittsburgh's growing technology and innovation ecosystem.

Get your front-row seat for the amazing work that is transforming Downtown Pittsburgh as place to live, work and play as TechVibe records from Huntington Bank's Flagship branch in Market Square.

Once an old McDonald's restaurant, Huntington has invested and transformed the space into a bright and welcoming environment for both business and people. It's the perfect setting to welcome Jeremy Waldrup, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, to talk about all of the initiatives that are making Downtown the place to be.

Tune in and learn how:

Downtown Pittsburgh is transforming from a primarily commercial office-focused area to a more diverse, mixed-use space.

The Downtown Partnership is working to double the residential population from 7,500 to 15,000-16,000 residents in the next few years.

Major investments are underway, including: a renovation of Market Square; a new 4-acre park in the Cultural District and conversion of 12 office buildings to residential spaces.

Tune in and geek out on the transformation of Downtown Pittsburgh.

Invenstment in Pittsburgh's tech industry continues to grow and we have the numbers to prove it! In this episode, we nerd out on the release of the 13th annual investment report compiled by Innovation Works and Ernst & Young (EY). Guests Ven Raju from Innovation Works and Darrell Smalley from EY share insights on the significant growth seen in Pittsburgh's tech ecosystem since the first report was issued post-2008 recession. They highlight that the number of investable companies in Pittsburgh has more than doubled from 75 to approximately 185 over the past decade, with nearly a billion dollars of institutional venture capital flowing into the region for the first time. The report underscores the robustness and diversification of Pittsburgh's tech sector, which spans life sciences, robotics, hardware, and software industries. The discussion emphasizes the strategic role of artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies in positioning Pittsburgh as a leading tech hub, attracting global investments that drive economic development in the region. TechVibe is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore Pittsbsurgh's technology and innovation ecosystem.

Over the last 25 years the Agile methodology has changed, a lot! And the adoption of AI has made it even more useful than ever. For this episode of TechVibe Pittsburgh, we welcome Christopher Ruch, Founder and CEO of Agile Rising, to bring us up to speed on the latest advancement and uses of Agile. Christopher will detail:

1. Agile is evolving beyond team-level practices to focus on broader organizational design and enterprise architecture. Companies need to look at their entire structure, not just team mechanics, to truly become more efficient and adaptable.

2. The current technological landscape, especially AI, is driving significant changes in how organizations work. Companies must invest in infrastructure, upskill their workforce, and be intentional about integrating new technologies to remain competitive.

3. External consultants play a crucial role in organizational transformation. They provide an unbiased perspective, help overcome internal resistance to change, and can guide companies through complex transitions in work dynamics, technology adoption, and organizational structure.

Click that pretty old PLAY button and get up to speed on all things Agile!

Produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, TechVibe Pittsburgh is your front row seat to to Pittsburgh's technology and innovation ecosystem.

In a world where technology evolves faster than most businesses can adapt, discover how AI isn't about replacing workers, but empowering them to do more meaningful work.

TechVibe welcomes Dan Simkins and Doogie Levine from the consultancy ATiiD to explain their approach to helping businesses integrate AI into their operations, emphasizing the importance of a strategic roadmap that considers both technology and human factors.

They'll highlight a successful case where AI automation increased customer-facing time by 300% for a sales team. The conversation also touches on the importance of future-proofing systems to adapt to evolving AI technologies and the benefits of AI in augmenting human capabilities rather than replacing jobs. Plus, discover what's behind the name ATiID. (It's kind of cool!)

TechVibe is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore the Pittsburgh region's technology and innovation ecosystem.

Looking to keep up with the latest digital marketing trends and brush up on the basics to keep your company's visibility topnotch?

TechVibe welcomes Pat Schober, Founder of Poetica Marketing, to explore how:

1. SEO and GEO are evolving marketing strategies that require creating high-quality, well-structured content optimized for both human readers and AI search engines. This includes using descriptive headers, alt tags, backlinks, and creating easily scannable content.

2. Businesses should diversify their marketing channels and not rely solely on one platform or strategy. This approach helps protect against potential changes in technology or market conditions that could impact a single marketing approach.

3. Marketing and sales are interconnected service roles. The goal is to help potential clients understand how your solution can solve their specific problems, focusing on conversation and value rather than aggressive selling techniques.

Hit that glorious PLAY button to get more details on these key marketing insights that could take your business to the next level!

TechVibe Pittsburgh is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore the Pittsburgh region's technology and innovation ecosystem.

Looking for the latest insight on emerging business technologies?

Check out this eye-opening conversation with Kelly King from Pittsburgh-based HIKE2 about their upcoming Innovation Summit. If you're wondering how AI and technology are reshaping business, you have to listen for all of the details.

The Innovation Summit (March 26-27 at August Wilson Center) is bringing together top minds to demystify tech's most pressing questions. The summit will feature keynote sessions, hands-on workshops, and panel discussions on topics like AI, agentic trends, and the human impact of technology.

Plus, Kelly will detail what's driving growth at HIKE2 how it expanded from Salesforce implementations to offering data, AI, and human-centered design solutions.

TechVibe Pittsburgh is produced by the Pittsburgh Technology Council to explore the Pittsburgh region's technology and innovation ecosystem.